Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks (born September 6, 1955) is an American physician and politician serving as the U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district. The district includes most of Iowa's southeastern quadrant, including Davenport, Bettendorf, Burlington, Iowa City and Miller-Meeks's hometown of Ottumwa.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byDave Loebsack
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 41st district
In office
January 14, 2019 – January 2, 2021
Preceded byMark Chelgren
Succeeded byAdrian Dickey
Personal details
Born
Mariannette Jane Miller

(1955-09-06) September 6, 1955
Herlong, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Curt Meeks
Children2
EducationTexas Christian University (BS)
University of Southern California (MS)
University of Texas, San Antonio (MD)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
RankLieutenant Colonel

Miller-Meeks served as Iowa State Senator for the 41st district from 2019 to 2021.

Early life

Miller-Meeks was born in Herlong, California in 1955.[1] She enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18 and served for 24 years, including as a nurse, physician, and member of the United States Army Reserve. She retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

A first-generation college student, Miller-Meeks earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University, a Master of Science in education from University of Southern California, and a Doctor of Medicine from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.[2]

Career

Miller-Meeks operated a private ophthalmology practice in Ottumwa, Iowa, until 2008. She also served as the first female president of the Iowa Medical Society. She was the first woman on the faculty of the University of Iowa's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and worked as an representative from Iowa to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.[2]

U.S. House of Representatives

2008-2014

Miller-Meeks was the Republican nominee for Iowa's 2nd congressional district in 2008, 2010 and 2014, losing to Dave Loebsack in all three races. When Mark Chelgren announced he was not running for reelection, she ran for Iowa Senate, District 41 in 2018, defeating Democratic nominee Mary Stewart.[3] Her term in the Iowa Senate began January 14, 2019.

2020
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa § District 2

Miller-Meeks ran to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district again in 2020, following Loebsack's retirement.[4] She won the June 2 Republican primary election, defeating former Illinois Congressman Bobby Schilling.

She faced the Democratic nominee, former State Senator Rita Hart, in the November general election.[5] After Loebsack announced his retirement, journalists and election forecasters labeled the 2nd congressional district a swing district. Miller-Meeks defeated Hart in the general election by six votes, flipping Iowa's 2nd Congressional District from Democratic to Republican in one of the closest races in 100 years; the state certified the victory.[6][7] Hart has contested the certified result through a petition with the Committee on House Administration under the 1969 Federal Contested Elections Act, which sets forth procedures for contesting state election results through a political process.[8] She chose not to contest the election in the courts.[8][9][10] In her petition, Hart contends that 22 legally cast votes were not counted.[11]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi provisionally seated Miller-Meeks on January 3, 2021, pending adjudication of Hart's petition.[11][12]

Miller-Meeks and Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota are the only Republican members of congress to flip Democratic House districts that were not Republican-held before 2018.

Committee assignments[13]

Political positions

Miller-Meeks opposes the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).[1] She opposes abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or harm to the mother.[1] Of same-sex marriage, she said in 2014 that she favors "traditional marriage."[1] She has criticized EPA regulation of waterways and coal plants, saying it creates "uncertainty".[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she opposed the implementation of face mask mandates to halt the virus's spread.[14]

Personal life

Miller-Meeks is a resident of Ottumwa, Iowa.[15] She is Roman Catholic.[1]

Electoral history

2008
Main article: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2008 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dave Loebsack (incumbent) 175,218 57.19
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 118,778 38.77
Green Wendy Barth 6,664 2.18
Independent Brian White 5,437 1.78
No party Others 261 0.09
Total votes 306,358 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2010
Main article: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2010 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dave Loebsack (incumbent) 115,839 50.99
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 104,319 45.92
Libertarian Gary Joseph Sicard 4,356 1.92
Constitution Jon Tack 2,463 1.08
No party Others 198 0.09
Total votes 227,175 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2014
Main article: 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
2014 Iowa's 2nd congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dave Loebsack (incumbent) 143,431 52.48
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 129,455 47.36
Write-ins 443 0.16
Total votes 273,329 100
Democratic hold

2018
Main article: 2018 Iowa Senate election
2018 Iowa's 41st senate district primary elections[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 1,706 85.39
Republican Daniel Cesar 279 13.96
Write-ins 13 0.65
Total votes 2,134 100
2018 Iowa's 41st senate district general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 11,451 51.77
Democratic Mary Stewart 10,632 48.07
Write-ins 36 0.16
Total votes 22,119 100
Republican hold

2020
Main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Iowa
Iowa's 2nd congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks 196,864 49.910
Democratic Rita Hart 196,858 49.908
Total votes 394,439 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References
  1. Jackson, Sharyn (October 12, 2014). "Hot issues dominate 2nd District". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  2. "Mariannette Miller-Meeks -". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  3. "Miller-Meeks elected state senator; Gaskill, Huit, Parker win their races". Ottumwa Courier. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  4. "Miller-Meeks kicks off race for Iowa's 2nd District". The Gazette. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  5. Smith, Zachary Oren. "Mariannette Miller-Meeks wins Republican nomination in Iowa's 2nd District to face Democrat Rita Hart". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  6. "2nd District Candidates Spar Over Conservative Credentials In Largest Republican Primary In Years". Iowa Public Radio. 2020-05-28. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  7. Hartnett, Mary. "Iowa's 2nd Congressional District Could Swing Right, 5:04". www.kwit.org. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  8. Bridget Bowman & Herb Jackson, Iowa Democrat Rita Hart to appeal 2nd District results to House, Roll Call (December 2, 2020).
  9. Pfannenstiel, Zachary Oren Smith and Brianne. "Iowa certifies Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks won Iowa's 2nd Congressional District seat — by 6 votes". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  10. "Iowa Democrat will challenge election results with House". POLITICO. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  11. Brianne Pfannenstiel and Ian Richardson (January 3, 2021). "Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks provisionally seated in 117th Congress as new session begins". Des Moines Register.
  12. "Pelosi to seat Republican in contested Iowa race". POLITICO. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
  13. "Miller-Meeks Appointed to House Education and Labor, Homeland Security, Veterans' Affairs Committees | Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks". millermeeks.house.gov. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  14. Payne, Marissa. "U.S. House rivals Hart and Miller-Meeks focus on health care, pandemic in second debate". The Gazette. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  15. "Senator Mariannette Miller-Meeks". The Iowa Legislature. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  16. "State of Iowa – Primary Election 2018 – Canvass Summary (6/5/2018)" (PDF). Secretary of State of Iowa. 2018-06-06. p. 149. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
Iowa Senate
Preceded by
Mark Chelgren		 Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 41st district
2019–2021		 Vacant
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Dave Loebsack		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 2nd congressional district
2021–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Mary Miller		 United States Representatives by seniority
414th		 Succeeded by
Barry Moore
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